Digital Wisdom - My Thoughts

Are you familiar with the term 'Digital Native/Digital Immigrant'? Check this article for further details Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants

I have studied Prensky in my recently completed Masters and we all need to remember that he wrote about this theory in 2001. 2001 - in technology circles - was a long time ago! FYI, Prensky has updated this theory - see http://www.marcprensky.com - from Digital Natives/Immigrants to Digital Wisdom.

Yes, many of our older students lack essential tech skills. But, what do you expect them to be able to do if all they have previously engaged in is FB or chat? We know that parents are role models. Parents who read are encouraging their children to read. How many parents are actively tinkering with technology and actively showing their kids how they are learning to use it? I know I do and all my kids are digitally wise :-)

I spend most of my time as an educator de-programming students who have been taught to essentially 'wait' for the teacher. It is hard to change the kids mindset but given time, many students can learn to be self directed learners. My message is simple no one can know it all and no one has ever trained me to use any of the software or tech tools that I use. I trained me - so you can train you!

I frequently use new software with the students and we learn to use it together. Reading the instructions, following a tutorial, searching through forums and looking for tutorials on You Tube are useful strategies that get results. The teacher must try to do whatever task that is set for the students - actively demonstrating the problem solving strategies that they are using to achieve the goal. Teachers can't step back and expect it to 'just happen'.

Like I am always saying to everyone at school 'It's a computer - not a magic wand'.